Transition From High School to College Building Bridges:

WINAHEAD Western Iowa & Nebraska Association of Higher Education And Disability

WIN AHEAD Members Bellevue University Buena Vista University Central Community College Clarkson College College of St. Mary Concordia University Creighton University Doane College Hastings College Iowa Western Community College Little Priest Tribal College Metropolitan Community College Midland University Mid-Plains Community College Nebraska Methodist College Nebraska Wesleyan University Northeast Community College Peru State College Southeast Community College Union College University of Nebraska-Kearney University of Nebraska-Lincoln University of Nebraska-Omaha University of Nebraska-Medical Center Wayne State College Western Iowa Tech Community College Western Nebraska Community College York College

Transition Topics Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA) & Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Changing Roles of Students and Parents Disclosure and Documentation of a Disability Accommodation Requests

IDEA ≠ ADA Issue IDEA (High School) ADA (College) IdentificationSchool Student AssessmentSchool Student Making requestsSchool/Parent Student AdvocacySchool/Parent Student Decision MakingSchool/Parent Student Transition PlanSchool Student AccommodationsSchool College SELF-ADVOCACY

High School ≠ College Accommodations in high school do not guarantee the same accommodations in college.

Changing Role of Students Self-Advocacy ● ● Understand disability ● ● Describe disability ● ● Know your learning style ● ● Know which accommodations work for you ● ● Communicate needs to college personnel ● ● Speak up Speak up

Changing Role of Parents ● ● Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) ● ● Signed Consent Form ● ● Organization & Encouragement

Disclosure of Disability Students must disclose disability to the office responsible for disability services. This disclosure is considered confidential and is released with the student’s consent on a “need to know” basis.

Request Accommodations 1.Disclose & provide documentation. 2.Meet with Disability Services personnel. 3.College evaluates requests and notifies student of decision. Appropriate and reasonable requests are granted. 4.Instructors are notified of approved accommodations. 5.Student must talk with each instructor at the start of each semester about implementing accommodations in their course.

Documentation of Disability Must be current (“current” varies by college & disability) Specific diagnosis by a qualified diagnostician Limitations on a major life activity Impact on academic performance Appropriate accommodations in a college setting Transferring to another college may mean that new or updated documentation is needed

Register with DSS Provide current documentation Discuss accommodation needs with coordinator Give accommodation letter to professors Communicate with faculty as needed Student Responsibilities Determine eligibility for services Authorize appropriate academic accommodations Assist faculty with regard to disability specific issues Disability Support Services (DSS) Responsibilities Provide accommodations on accommodation letter Respect student privacy Questions about accommodations? Contact DSS Faculty Responsibilities Roles & Responsibilities Self-Advocacy

Summary of Key Points ● IDEA ≠ ADA ● Changing roles of parents & students ● Contact the college disability services office early ● Practice self-advocacy skills ● Finding ResourcesFinding Resources

Transition Resources on the Internet Going to College: A resource for teens with disabilities Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT) Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)